I'm looking for a budget (£300 or less!) bike to do some basic bike packing. I'd love to spend more but that's all I've got. I did have a 2nd hand Scott mountain bike but it was too small (medium frame) I'm 6'2 so really need a large or xl.

Ideally I'd like 29 wheels and drop bars but figure at my price bracket my options are limited! Anyone got anything for sale? North West But can travel to Yorkshire, Cumbria etc if of any use!

Are you looking for a gravel type bike or a mountainbike with drops on? ... I understand the line is somewhat blurred and there is something of a cross-over between them depending on point of view.

Any particular reason you'd like drops? They generally reduce a bikes 'packing' potential rather than enhance it, especially if you're planning off-road routes / trips.

So I had a gravel bike but spokes kept breaking so I sold it and bought a used mountain bike but bought the wrong size so I have sold that and I'm now bike less (and poorer having lost money on the two previous transactions!)

I like the more substantial wheels on a trail bike but liked the variety of hand positions drop bars offer. I'd love a salsa fargo but waaayy to expensive. I enjoy cycling trails and off road but I'm not an extreme mountain biker.

Does that help or confuse!

If my mountain bike had been the right size I'd have probably have kept it!

I'm sure that does help ... Sadly, I'm 2" short of being a dwarf so nothing in my collection will be of any use to you but I'm sure someone here will likely have a suitable bike.

an inexpensive 29er rigid-forked MTB might be a good bet - fitting the Alpkit Confucious bars, which are only £29, might help with hand positions. Cant give you the link because work blocks the website

The Voodoo Aizan from Halfords is £400 down from £500 and an AA voucher will take another £40 off that. It is 60 quid over budget but Voodoos are generally well received. If you aren't in the AA I can email you a voucher, they don't ask to see your members card!

Pinnacke Kapur is £375 and a 650b bike so fails on a couple of counts but I bet it's a decent bike.

i have a set of the alpkit bars that i will sell for half the new price
https://www.alpkit.com/products/love-mud-confucius

as you are skint you can pay me when you can afford it - north west based as well for collection

Thanks for the replies! Lots to think about! Lazarus that's really kind but I'm sure I can find £15 will they fit on any bike and are they on reasonable condition?

That was supposed to be a thumbs up emoticon!

They are basically unmarked except for where the brakes and shifters went

OS fitting so should be fine for any new bike and most bikes that are say 5 years old or newer - its pretty hard to find anything with the old standard size stem

bikeandbivvy wrote:I like the more substantial wheels on a trail bike but liked the variety of hand positions drop bars offer. I'd love a salsa fargo but waaayy to expensive. I enjoy cycling trails and off road but I'm not an extreme mountain biker.

The "alternate" bars like (in roughly ascending price order) the Alpkit Confucius; Orange Velo Crazy Bars; Surly Moloko; Jones Loop Bars, are basically the off-road versions of drop bars in that you've multiple hand positions. They take a bit of experimentation to set up right. They are however, a bit Marmite and not everyone gets on with them.

The Crazy Bars require a shim but the rest all use the standard 31.8mm clamp area.

Tam from here is selling his Stooge. This is an ideal bikepacking machine, as I know that all of its previous owners (me included) have bikepacked on it.

He’s open to offers, so don’t take the Pinkbike price as gospel:
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2016302/

AlasdairMc wrote:Tam from here is selling his Stooge. This is an ideal bikepacking machine, as I know that all of its previous owners (me included) have bikepacked on it.

He’s open to offers, so don’t take the Pinkbike price as gospel:
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/2016302/

Oooh thats ideal although i'm not sure whether 18" is equivalent to a large? Also bit out of my budget unfortunately and need to sell my old one first if I had cash i'd definitely be interested!

The Stooge is one size, but you can size it to fit based on seatpost and stem size. There are a number of people on here with them, of various sizes themselves.

Like I said, price is pretty flexible. Drop him a PM if you’re interested, he’s Edinburgh based but I’m sure a meet somewhere could be arranged.

So Tam got in touch with me (thanks!) but I think the stooge is still out my price range (offered a good deal though!) and as I'd need to add a new seat post, headset spacers & 80mm stem. Lovely bike though!

My bike sold and I have £300 so still looking!

I've got a KHS Alite 1000 that id shift on.
I did the very first welsh ride on it so it's not new but has been well looked after.
Say collecting dust now.
Only after £100 ready to go.
If you're interested I'll find a picture of it.

Hi Taylor it's not quite what I'm looking but thank you for the offer. Very kind!